How Does Dialysis Patients Prevent Heart Failure

Heart failure is a serious complication of chronic kidney failure. The main reason of heart failure in dialysis is due to fluid overload. Besides, anemia, arteriovenous fistula and infection can all aggravate heart failure. The risk factors in dialysis patients for cardiovascular disease include smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, anemia, cholesterol and hyperlipaemia.

The clinical symptoms of heart failure:

1. Breath with difficulty, shortness of breath, palpitation and cough

2. High blood pressure, faster heart rate and dysphoria

3. Body weight increases quickly during dialysis

4. Swelling in face, hands and legs is obvious. Patients will also suffer from anuria, oliguria and breath with difficulty.

If you have the above symptoms, you should tell your nurse and doctor as soon as possible.

How to prevent heart failure during dialysis?

1. Weight control

The weight between dialysis should not exceed 5% of dry weight. You should obey your doctor’s order and should not change your dialysis time by yourself.

2. Protect your heart

3. Maintain emotional well-being and hard avoid physical labor. Take exercise properly.

4. Correct anemia and high blood pressure timely. Control infection.

5. Follow a heart-healthy diet. For example, you should reduce foods that are high in saturated fats and cholesterols like eggs, while milk, cheese and fried foods. Eat more foods that are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids such as flaxseed oil, canola oil and walnut. in addition, Limit fluid and sodium intake. Fluid intake per day should be yesterday’s urine output and add 500ml fluid. Hemodialysis patients without urine should consume salt 2 gram every day. If the urine output is over 500ml, salt intake per day should be 3-4 grams.

6. Have tests for heart and you should have:

An electrocardiogram when you first start dialysis and then once a year after that.

An echocardiogram when you first start dialysis

The above are some steps that can help prevent heart disease. Speak to your doctor about them. The doctor will work with you to develop a care plan to meet your needs.